Scientists in California are reporting successful laboratory and field tests of a new device that can sniff out the faintest traces of a wide range of chemical, biological, nuclear, and explosive threats - and illicit drugs - from the air in minutes with great accuracy.

A research team led by Stefan Mecking at the University of Konstanz has developed a new method to produce wafer-thin layers. The scientists made their films from individual prefabricated nanocrystal building blocks.

Granted, this is not nanotechnology yet, but quite an interesting development nevertheless: A University of Bath academic, who oversees a global effort to develop an open-source machine that 'prints' three-dimensional objects, is celebrating after the prototype machine succeeded in making a set of its own printed parts.

In the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University (ASU), researchers are using DNA to make intricate, nano-sized objects. Working at this scale holds great potential for advancing medical and electronic applications.

The themes of the newly approved Collaborative Research Centres include the development of innovative spaceship drive systems, overcoming treatment resistance in tumours and tackling anxiety disorders affecting humans. Further topics include studies in the field of hadron physics and research into molecular components at the nano-level.

In future, an unmanned helicopter will search for people trapped in fallen buildings or investigate contaminated terrain. The mini-helicopter will be powered by a very light fuel cell that weighs only 30 grams and has an output of 12 watts.

The science and technology policymaking capacity of the White House must be enhanced so that the next president can address key issues facing the nation - from energy and the environment, to national security, and the ability of U.S. companies to compete internationally.